Falling Away
by KatriAdriah
Summary: Full summary inside. Bella and edward go missing, my boyfriend turns out to be a horribly evil vampire and I get stuck hiding from the Volturi in Forks. What a day, what's a poor Irish girl to do?
1. Without You edited

**Falling Away**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Twilight or Corporation (walmart, starbucks ect.) Related. Extraneous characters are mine.**

Summary: **What happens after Edward and Bella mysteriously vanish, Renesmee gets pregnant-with Jacob freaking out in joy, Carlisle has to decide wether to let me stay, and my lover turns out to be one of the world's most evil vampires? And How in the hell did I even get involved with the world's most wonderful 'vegitarian' vampires? We'll just have to see what happens when someone like me lives in a messed up world. .:Note:. okay i had a friend talk me out of giving up on twilight so I'll continue there will be more of the Cullens and Jacob in this chap. The first was basicaly just an introduction of my Niamh and Nico. I am neither on Team Edward or Team Jacob, so don't expect any fluff toward either of them. I am on Team Who Cares Its the Writer's Effing Choice. :) Remember, while this is a Twilight Fanfic, the main charrie is my own creation. We will follow her, but she will be following the cullens, the volturi and naturally everyone's fave wolf pack. Enjoy.**

**_Leaves are on the ground  
Fall has come  
Blue skies turning grey  
Like my love  
I try to carry you  
And make you whole  
But it was never enough  
I must go_**

_"Do you mean it Nico? Really?" I looked up into onyx sharded crimson eyes. He smiled down at me, brushing my cheek with his always-cold hand, "I mean it. I would do anything for you. I love you,_cara mia_." I curled against his hard chest. He was strange but I didn't care, "I love you too Nicolo."_

_"I need you to go somewhere and hide out for a while." He kissed the top of my head._

_"Your family again? What do they think you've done now?"_

_"It doesn't matter, love. I'm going to take you to a little town called Forks in Washington state. I know you'll be safe there..."_

"We're here, _cara mia_," Niciolo's voice knocked me from my musings. That night seemed so long ago. Of course, that wasn't the first time he had to move me to a safe place because of his dangerous family of Italian mobsters. I personally had never heard of the Volturi, but then again I was also Irish and not Italian. I had met Nicolo in a night club on vacation in Venice. That was all she wrote. I didn't care that Nicolo had a skin condition that kept him out of the sun or that he was different from everyone else. He was mine.

"Oh Nico! It's so small and quiet. I love it. I can't wait to check out the scenery, it must be fantastic!" I breathed, looking out the deep-tinted windows of his Porsche 911. "Where am I staying?"

"I'm dropping you off at the edge of the Quileute(sp? I don't own the books.) Indian Reservation. A young man named Jacob and his friend Leah are meeting us there. They and their tribe will take good care of you. And I believe that Jacob's wife will be a good friend for you." He smiled at me.

"You won't stay with me for a bit?" I frowned, feeling my heart sink.

"I cannot. I am sorry. They do not know exactly who it is dropping you off. Carla made the call, they mustn't see me. I'm sorry _cara mia_. It is for you safety." He tucked a strand of my jet black hair behind my ear. I sniffled. I easily read the look on his face.

"I wanted to help you. I wanted to be enough to help you, especially with you family. This is why I have to go isn't it? You may not come back. You might die and I'm not enough to save you. I'll be alone in the cold winter. It's so close." Tears rolled down my cheeks as he stopped the car. I buried my head in his shoulder, drinking in his comforting scent.

"It is I who isn't strong enough. I'm not strong enough to watch you die. This is something I have to face, if I don't I can never be whole. Never be good enough for you. You have to live, for me, or this will never be enough." He kissed the tears from my cheeks before kissing me passionately. "_Arividerci, cara mia."_

_"_Until we meet again my love." I gave a watery smile that broke as I left the car, committing every inch of him to memory as he smiled. The door shut and he was gone.

**_And who is gonna save you when I'm gone?  
And who'll watch over you  
When I'm gone?_**

**_You say you care for me  
But hide it well  
How can you love someone not yourself?_**

I felt the tears flow freely down my face while I choked back sobs. "Niamh?" A low baritone drifted to me. I turned, wiping my tears, to see a tall native American boy standing beside a girl that could have been his sister. The boy kept his face carefully blank, but the girl wrinkled her nose.

"That's me." I tried to steady my wavering voice. "Are you Jacob and Leah?"

"Jake! Renesmee just called and-" A girl who looked about my age, 18 or 19, appeared from nowhere. She stopped just short and growled, her honey-gold eyes locked on mine. Her dark wavy hair fell halfway down her back and her skin looked like Nico's. She seemed to hold the same charm too. She snarled at me, "Who are you?"

"You- your like my Nicolo. . ." Was all I managed to whisper. I clutched the dark brown leather jacket he had just given me. And then it really sunk in. What would I do with out him? What would happen to him if I wasn't there? Could he control his temper? Could I keep from closing off? Who was going to look out for us now that we were apart? What was going to happen to me?

"Bells, calm down. This is Niamh, she's going to be staying here. She's in trouble. She's not like them I promise." The voice was distant and hollow sounding. The words swirled in my head and made no sense. It was almost like the next thing the voice said was "She's human" but I couldn't understand anything at that moment so I pushed it aside. I was to preoccupied with Nico. He told me he loved me, but had done little to show it besides gentle words and a feather light brush of my cheek. Almost all of his stolen kisses had tasted of lust. What if he stopped loving me? What if he reverted to the self centered prat I met in Venice? With little more than a stolen glimpse of the real man? I couldn't lose him. Somewhere very far away, it seemed, I heard voices arguing. The world splashed around me turning to black water and then nothing.

**_And who is gonna save you when I'm gone?  
And who'll watch over you  
When I'm gone?_**

"Carlisle, is she going to be alright?" The voice of Jacob drifted into my ears.

"Yes, she was running a slight fever Jake. It's gone now, but my guess is that she passed out from a combination of her fever and an anxiety attack. Did you say that she compared Bella to a man called Nicolo? I only know of one Nicolo and he is infamous. A rouge from the Volturi."

"Carlisle, I already told you she had, must you ask Jake and Leah as well?"

"Yeah, that's what she said. I'm pretty sure that Nicolo was the dude in the 911 that dropped her at the line. He looked tall even though he was sitting. He definitely had the eyes from the glimpse I got. And some long ass black hair." I hear Jacob answer.

"And well, lets not forget that she _reeked_ of them," a new female voice joined the conversation. "No offense Dr. Cullen, Bella."

"It's alright Leah. It's a feeling that works vice versa." The voice that had to be the doctor sounded pleasant. I started becoming more aware of my surroundings. A familiar sweet smell entered my nose and I realized I was still clutching the jacket.

"Nico. . ." I murmured, drawing the dark brown leather closer. A lone tear dripped down my cheek. A gentle hand patted my hair.

"Niamh?" An unfamiliar female voice now drifted down, gentle and not at all accusing like those of the women called Leah and Bella. The hand remained on my head and flashes of different images like a movie. Faces and voices were put together and names as well. I was a bit freaked out. I bolted up and crammed myself in one corner of the couch I had been laying on and looked around with huge, frightened eyes. I looked dead at the girl who had shared the images, the one with child. Renesmee. She didn't have the exact same charm as my Nicolo, but the woman Bella and the doctor Carlisle did. The same almost marble white skin, cool and hard looking. Renesmee's was soft, but still pale with a hint of color and feverish. However, their eyes were different. Bella and Carlisle's were captivating honeyed-amber and Renesmee's were warm chocolatey brown.

"What are you people?" I whispered staring from the two like my love to the strange girl that wasn't quite human at all. "What do you know of the Volturi and my Nico? Do you know why he brought me here to save me from them?"

"Oh dear." The blonde doctor sighed.

"Bells? You wanna handle this one?" The Native American boy looked at bella.

"Not really. You sure you don't wanna, Jake?"

"Nessie?" Jacob looked at his pregnant wife.

"You guys are so childish. Really, you are."

"Look I don't care who tells me what! I want to know why my Nico left me here alone and what the Volturi have to do with it!" I cried.

**_And when I'm gone who will break your fall?  
Who will you blame?  
I can't go on let you loose it all It's more then I can take  
Who'll ease your pain?  
Ease your pain_**

Renesmee looked at me, eyes full of pity. She walked over to my corner of the couch and sat next to me. The heat radiated off her in waves. "So it was Nicolo that brought you to Jacob at the line?"

I nodded slowly, "My Nico told me you weren't supposed to know it was him when I got out of the car. He said he had to face the Volturi now if he were to ever be truly satisfied with our lives together. He told me he couldn't bear it if I died. I told him I knew he probably wasn't comming back, but when I asked if it was be cause I wasn't strong enough, or just enough for him, he told me it was him who wasn't strong enough to lose me. I had to live. Why do the Volturi seem so intent on ruining our happiness?"

Renesmee's over warm hand brushed away a tear. She looked at the doctor who seemed dumb founded, but intrigued. When she turned her brown eyes back on me she asked, "Do you know what Nicolo and the Volturi are?"

"Italian Mafia. The Volturi have been after him since he quit the family. He's a bit strange though. Kind of like them, Dr. Cullen and the younger Mrs. Cullen."

"Carlisle and Bella, dear. No need to be so formal. I'm Esme." Another woman very much like Bella and Carlisle walked in. "Is that all you know? Do you know what we are?"

"Uhhh. . .People?" I sniffled. "I don't care. I just want Nico back. I want to stop feeling this broken feeling whenever he leaves to draw them away. Only this time it's like I know he's not comming back." Tears fell freely again. Esme took a seat by me as well, her cold hand counteracting Renesmee's fiery hot one.

"Well, I never thought I'd hear of Nicolo so kindly spoken of. Do you think he's really changed? I mean the accounts are few and far between now but. . ." Carlisle looked up at Esme.

"I'm not sure myself. It's Nicolo. He's been that way for hundreds of years." The doctor replied soberly. "Jasper, calm her please. She's going to make herself sick." A blond boy, no older than 19 or so with the same, strange eyes as the other Cullens, walked into the spacious room. With him came a sudden sense of relaxation. A calm I didn't want to feel. I wasn't ready to stop hurting. I wanted to be irritated with it, but all I could feel was calm. Jasper quirked a knowing eyebrow.

He smiled, "My name is Jasper Cullen. I am to assume your name is Niamh?"

"That's me. Will someone explain to me why Dr- I mean Carlisle said 'hundreds of years'? Nicolo is only twenty-one, just three years older than me." I looked around, calm, but still very unhappy. Jasper came and knelt by the couch. He took my hand in his ice cold one, very much like the other Cullens and my Nico, and put it on his chest.

"What am I missing?" He looked me dead in the eye.

"Where is your heart beat?" I checked his wrist and throat. Ice cold, rock hard and pulse free. "You don't have a pulse." I stared wide eyed and horrified.

"They don't either, except for these three." He gestured to Jacob, Leah, and Renesmee.

"I knew there were strange things in this world. Mystical, inexplicable, even magical. Never in my wildest dreams, or nightmares for that matter, did I imagine that vampires really existed." I don't know what made me say it, or why I was so sure of myself, but I definately knew.

**_And who is gonna save you when I'm gone?  
And who'll watch over you?  
And I will give you strength when you're not strong?  
Who'll watch over you when I've gone away?_**

"She accepted that a helluva lot faster than me." Bella looked at Esme, who nodded.

"Nico. . . Nicolo is one too isn't he? Dear god. . . With his temper. . .What is he going to do with out me? If he's a vampire, he's more dangerous than I imagined. . . If I'm not there to calm him what will happen? Who's going to. . " I fretted, breaking free from the forced calm.

"Jasper!" Esme muttered hurridly.

"Can't do a thing for you now, Esme. She managed to break the calm. This is all her." He inclined his head at me.

I looked helplessly at the two women beside me, "Who'll help him keep his temper? How will he stay in control? I have to go find him."

"No, the Volturi are too dangerous. You will be far, far safer here, Niamh." Carlisle shook his head.

"I was told you would be leaving here in a month or two by the woman that called me." Jacob offered, resting a hand on his wife's shoulder. I could only stare, every inch of me weary and despairing. I just shook my head, rising to my feet. Everything moved in slow motion. I was a dreamer, a freak who believed in what once was impossible like magic and undead. Yes, I was a dreamer, but I was not an idiot. I would not be Nicolo, but Carla coming to get me from this place. He would not survive, of that I understood, or at least I understood that's what he believed. I was vaguely aware of a few protests to my rising before everyone had moved out of my way. I was also scarcely aware that a weathered looking old indian led me to the front door.

The fresh, cool air hit me in a short blast. The sky was grey and clouded from what I could tell in my hazed state. It was slowly sinking in, more than it ever had before. He knew he would die. I couldn't feel the many dark eyes that followed me as I wandered, destinationless, across the Reservation I didn't even know. I suppose at some point my mind partially registered them, but it was of little consequence. They didn't really matter to me, they didn't know me.

A sharp, chilling wind woke me some time later. I was at the top of a sheer cliff overlooking a stretch of sandy beach. I spread my arms and closed my eyes, letting it wash over me. Letting it cut through me. I took a deep breath and the wind bit the back of my throat, stinging in my lungs. I was in love with a vampire destined to leave me behind to move into the next world. I wasn't a bad person, neither was he. What happened for us to deserve such a _Romeo and Juliet_-esque fate? What would I do when he was gone?

I sat down, dangling my feet over the cliff's edge. I breifly wondered what it would feel like to jump. To feel the rush and pull of the icy water below me when I hit. Or what it would be like to slam full force into the ledge below the one I was on. The pain would be nothing compared to this. Broken bones, lungs full of water, I was positive nothing could compare with a broken heart.

**Snow is on the ground  
Winter's come  
You long to hear my voice  
But I'm long gone**

I drew the dark brown leather around me again. His scent filled my nose and I breathed a soft sigh, a mixture of longing and contentment. His scent always had a comforting affect on me. Looking out over the ocean, I let the tears begin to fall freely again. This was going to be a long couple of months. Naturally I would figure out a way to escape to find Nicolo and I would do everything in my power to save him. I would use the ace up my sleeve that even he was unaware of. I closed my eyes as a gentle rain began to fall and turned my face upward to the heavens. I could smell him on the jacket, feel his arm around me. I could even hear his voice in the back of my mind comforting me like before. I opened my eyes and rose slowly. I turned back towards the houses on the reservation with a determined mind set. I closed myself off to everything and walked back to really meet the people who would be my "protectors."


	2. Oh Shit

**Falling Away**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Twilight or Corporation (walmart, starbucks ect.) Related. Extraneous characters are mine.**

Summary: **What happens after Edward and Bella mysteriously vanish, Renesmee gets pregnant-with Jacob freaking out in joy, Carlisle has to decide wether to let me stay, and my lover turns out to be one of the world's most evil vampires? And How in the hell did I even get involved with the world's most wonderful 'vegitarian' vampires? We'll just have to see what happens when someone like me lives in a messed up world. .:Note:. okay i had a friend talk me out of giving up on twilight so I'll continue there will be more of the Cullens and Jacob in this chap. The first was basicaly just an introduction of my Niamh and Nico. I am neither on Team Edward or Team Jacob, so don't expect any extra fluff towards either of them. I am on Team Who Cares Its the Writer's Effing Choice. (and Jasper/Alice):) Remember, while this is a Twilight Fanfic, the main charrie is my own creation. We will follow her, but she will be following the cullens, the volturi and naturally everyone's fave wolf pack. Enjoy. Ich liebe Jasper!!!**

_Last Time in Falling Away:_

_Naturally I would figure out a way to escape to find Nicolo and I would do everything in my power to save him. I would use the ace up my sleeve that even he was unaware of. I closed my eyes as a gentle rain began to fall and turned my face upward to the heavens. I could smell him on the jacket, feel his arm around me. I could even hear his voice in the back of my mind comforting me like before. I opened my eyes and rose slowly. I turned back towards the houses on the reservation with a determined mind set. I closed myself off to everything and walked back to really meet the people who would be my "protectors."_

"Welcome back. Time for proper introductions, now that you aren't mortified." The tall blonde doctor smiled. "My name is Carlisle and this is my wife Esme."

"I'm Renesmee, Jacob is my husband. This is Bella, my mom, and Edward, my dad." The brown eyed girl grinned pointing to Bella, who had growled at me and a man I had not previously met with golden eyes and honey-brown hair. Of course, I had seen him in Renesmee's images.

"Ahm. . Mom and dad?" I looked puzzled. They both looked so young. Of course. . . They were vampires. . .

"It's a loooonnnngggg story." Bella sighed.

"I'm Alice! This is Jasper!" The eccentric looking girl looped her arm through the stiff looking man's and pulled him forward.

"I'm Leah. You'll meet the rest of the Pack later." The only Quileute girl present nodded.

"The only pair we're missing are Rosalie and Emmett. I already showed them to you, of course." Renesmee beamed.

"My name is Niamh. I'm from a small town on Ireland's coast, just belo' Dublin," I nodded, giving a small smile.

"Oh your accent is awesome! I can tell we'll be good friends!" Alice bounced over and hugged me. "This will be so much fun. Don't worry about Nicolo so much, I'm sure he can handle himself."

"Easy Alice, don't strain yourself." Edward rolled his eyes. I could see a form of irritation cross through his honey colored eyes when he looked at me. I could feel him trying to read my thoughts. Just one part of the ace I had.

"You can stop trying to read me, young Mr. Cullen. You cannot do it. Not unless I allow it, which is not happening any time soon. My head is a private place and I'll thank you to let me keep it that way." I smiled coolly. The group stared, dumb founded. "Call it a gift. Not much else to call it."

"You are an interesting girl, to have your ability so well manifested as a human." Carlisle mused. I only smiled wider and thought to my self, _you don't even know the half of it. _I sat down on the couch indicated by Jacob. This should have surprised me. I should have been half scared to death because I should have been thinking I was insane. Instead, I had calmly accepted the existance of these vampires and. . .Could I really call the pack werewolves? They were more like shapeshifters or something. Of course, having my own connection to the surreal helped, I supposed.

I had clearly drifted off into my own little lala land again because I found myself muttering a half-out-of-it 'huh?' to Jacob, who was waving his hand infront of my face. "Hello? Earth to Niamh. Is any one there?"

"I got it, loud and clear. Thank you. You can stop now." I shook my head and swatted his hand away. "I apologize I have this horrible habit of drifting off into my own world from time to time. But, at least, they all know me there so it's okay." I got a few laughs off that one. I was beginning to get a bit more comfortable around them.

"So Nimah?" Alice ventured. "How old are you anyway?"

"I just turned nineteen." I answered without missing a beat. "I have a feeling that's far younger than any of you." Laughter. Oh joy, I was the baby here too. Born in mid-winter, I was hard pressed to find someone _not_ older than me in school as I had went in a year early. Intellectually gifted, they called me. I simply understood that I wasn't the average human. Dumb as a box of rocks.

"Very accurate. I myself am the oldest in this family. Born in 18th century Europe. I suppose Jasper is the next oldest. Early to mid 19th century, we aren't really sure about Alice, but we think she's about a hundred and fourty or so. Edward was born just before the turn of the 20th century so he's about a hundred and twenty or so. Bella's only just changed recently, she's about fourty. And Rosalie and Emmet are close to Edward and Alice. Renesmee, Jacob and Leah-along with the rest of the pack range between twenty two and fourty-two. Not that anyone really looks it besides Sam, who recently retired form the pack. Yes, it is safe to say, you are the 'baby' of sorts. Congratulations Renesmee, some one is younger than you." Carlisle added to his 'granddaughter.' I face-palmed and sighed. I just couldn't win. More laughter. What the fuck? Was I some new form of entertainment? The Black Irish Girl with Wierd Powers who is Really Young? It's a title and a half, but that seemed to be the sum of it. That or I had just met the happiest people on earth.

"Really, Edward, stop trying. My guard is yet to have fallen. You're going to strain yourself, or worse embarass yourself. I'm young and hardheaded, not soft and pathetic." I rolled my eyes.

"It was worth a shot," He shrugged. "Come on Bella. I think it's time we leave. Rosalie and Emmet are waiting." A thought flashed across Edward's mind, directed at me, _Alright new kid, I know you can hear me. Block Alice. She can't see out future right now, it's a surprise. Can you manage it?_

I almost snikered out loud, _Can I manage? Puh-leez, clearly you read me while I was out cold. You know I can. But, the question remains, can you keep my ace a secret?_ He looked surprised for a moment when I let him read my answer, but nothing else in my head. He gave a small smile and nodded.

_You're on kid. See you in Dublin._ With that, the pair were gone. Hmm, Dublin, huh? I could sense an image beginning to form in Alice's mind, flashes of green that could have been Ireland's or Scotland's rolling hills. I cut it off just as she began to space out. She looked puzzled for a moment and _tried_ to see. Nothing. Her forehead creased with worry. Esme and Renesmee acted at the same time, turning to look at her. Jacob and Carlisle followed suit. I sat quietly, curious as to just what the Cullen pair was going to Dublin for.

"What's the matter, Alice?" Esme asked softly.

"I can't see. I can't see Bella and Edward at all. Their future is blank to me. So are Rosalie and Emmet's until they veer from Edward and Bella. I don't understand. It was like the vision was taken from me a moment ago." Alice frowned. The rest of the Cullens began to look worried. I remained quiet, pasting a look of slight confusion on my face.

"Uuuummmmm, what?" I said after a moment. "Any one care to explain?"

"Alice can see the future. Most of the time, she has absolutely no problem." Renesmee answered. "The only exception we've ever run into are the wolves. It's a bit disconcerting. I'm wondering what about the pack could be blocking them."

"Not the wolves." Alice chimed in, a crease forming on her brow. "That's what worries me. It isn't the same blurred, headache inspiring block. It's just black. Like they don't exist. It's strange. I don't really under-" I turned toward Alice as she froze mid sentence. I carefully slipped into her mind, catching a glimpse of green hills and the Volturi I had heard so much of and then it was gone. The rest of the group had frozen as well, very unsettled. I shivered slightly, so that is what my Nico was up against. It was worse than I had thought before. I felt the fear in Alice's mind and understood that he had been hiding that from me all along, to keep me happy and safe.

"I need to go. Jasper? Are you going to come with me?" Alice's golden eyes turned to the blonde man as she ran a hand through her spikey, dark hair. "I'll be at home in a couple hours if you need me." The pair exited without another word.

Carlisle nodded and rested his chin in his hand, leaning slightly forward in his seat. He looked deep in thought and remained unnaturally still. It was. . .different and somewhat unsettling. Esme looked down at her husband and rested a comforting hand on his shoulder and seemed to be murmuring softly and rapidly to him. I wasn't really sure, all I could see was her lips scarcely moving or so it seemed. Renesmee settled back on the couch beside me and Jacob leaned over the back of it, draping his arms around her. Their surprising body heat drifted to me, making my poorly supressed shiver seem far too unnecessary and even more noticeable. Still, no one said a word. It was far too silent. It pressed in around us, bringing with it worry and discomfort. Despite the innocent intentions of Edward requesting the block, I had the distinct feeling that something was about to go horribly wrong. I couldn't shake the feeling that I should say something. Even a small something that might implicate me for hiding something. I leaned forward and ran a hand through my hair.

"I have a feeling this is worse than I've been made to realize. I can assure you, Bella and Edward will be fine. They are out on their own free will and will remain that way. Please don't ask me how I know and please don't make me say more." I sighed, almost regretting saying anything at all immediately. A soon as I had spoken the phrase 'I can assure you' four pairs of penetrating eyes were glued on me. Maybe we Irish really did need to think before we act. Going straight off instinct and emotion always seemed to end us in situations like this. Suddenly, it seemed to get a whole lot colder as the four stared me down. I wrapped Nico's jacket more closely around me and looked abashedly to each of the creatures around me. "Um, did it just get colder in here?"

Faster than I could even blink Carlisle was on his feet, and gripping Esme's hand. Esme was staring at me, completely wide eyed in shock. Renesmee was also on her feet, putting her hand on Jacob's shoulder, who was crouched down defensively-half snarling- and seeming to quiver all over. Bella's daughter seemed to share Esme's shocked expression, just as both seemed to be restraining their husbands in some way or another. Greatful that I was on the side of the couch closest to the door, I hopped over the back of the couch and slipped quickly out the door. This time I would not ignore my instinct, which was to take my leave from the room full of world's deadliest hunters and quickly. It wasn't long before I found myself hopelessly lost in the forest on the Quileute Reservation. I cursed under my breath. At least the rain was cleared and the sky seemed to brighten. The sun peeked out from behind the thick cloud cover, a rare moment I was sure. I continued on, in what I hoped was the right direction. The sun stayed out, thankfully, and began to warm me up from the numb cold I had been feeling.

Something in the distance caught my eye. It was a clearing, and something in the center seemed to be glinting in the sun. I thought that it was, perhaps, a large rock. If that were the case I would have a place to sit, warm myself, and think. I headed for the clearing rather slower than I had anticipated, like something was holding me back. It felt kind of like walking through several feet of snow. Never the less, I shrugged off my warning sense and continued on. I reached the last row of trees before the clearing and what I had thought was a rock began to take on a different shape. The shape of a man. His skin glittered like the many faceted appearance of a cut diamond. He was beautiful and pale with long dark hair. I drew closer and he began to move toward me. I couldn't help but think to myself, _Mm. That is definately not a rock. But he is gorgeous. _At the same time it was like little alarm bells and red flags were going off and waving in the back of my mind. Something wasn't quite right. I noticed, once we were less than ten feet apart that his eyes glinted and almost black, bloody red. Right then I was fully aware that this was really not right. I was standing ten feet from a man with red eyes and diamond skin. Can anyone say 'hello stupid, where have you been'? I slipped into his mind as I had Alice's. This time my only thought was,_ Oh shit._ I was on the lunch menu. I had no way to defend myself. I knew exactly what he could and would do. The best that I could pull out of my bag of aces was a duce. I could make a little rock _twitch_ with my mind. I couldn't actually move anything big enough to help me, unless a flying spoon would kill him or a stick. A really little one.

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me closer, three feet from me now. I had no choice but to move when he pulled. His hand was ice cold and his grip was far too strong. If he had gripped my wrist any tighter, the bones would have shattered. I tried to keep my pulse down and my breathing even, but nothing would respond. He grinned, pinning me against his chest. Wrapping one arm around my waist, he let go of my arm and pulled my head back, exposing my throat. White hot, almost paralyzing pain, seared through me. I screamed.


End file.
